2017 discharge: European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE)

Having examined the revenue and expenditure accounts for the financial year 2017 and the balance sheet as at 31 December 2017 of the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), as well as the Court of Auditors' report on the annual accounts of the Institute for the financial year 2017, accompanied by the Institute's replies to the Court's observations, the Council recommended the European Parliament to give a discharge to the Director of the Institute in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2017.

The Council welcomed the Court's opinion that, in all material respects, the Institute's annual accounts present fairly its financial position as at 31 December 2017 and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended, in accordance with the provisions of the Institute's Financial Regulation, and that the underlying transactions for 2017 are legal and regular in all material respects.

Nevertheless, the following observations were made:

- budgetary management: the Council noted the potential budgetary risk resulting from the ongoing Court proceedings related to procurement procedures conducted by the Institute. It called on the Institute to carefully monitor the situation, in particular as regards the sufficiency of provisions;

- procurement: the Council also regretted that the Court found, as last year, weaknesses in the Institute's procurement procedures and called on the Institute to take appropriate actions in order to ensure the effectiveness of the process, appropriate tender specifications, as well as the full implementation without unjustified delay of electronic public procurement;

- staff: the Institute is encouraged to ensure proper transparency and publicity of its vacancy notices, while avoiding unjustified costs.